A Valentine’s Snow (045/365)

 
“Brew me a cup for a winter's night.
For the wind howls loud and the furies fight;
Spice it with love and stir it with care,
And I'll toast our bright eyes,
my sweetheart fair.”

Minna Thomas Antrim, “A Night Cap.” A Book of Toasts. Philadelphia, 1902.

TIME:  8:26 PM
PLACE:  Back yard
SUBJECT:  The “wonky” Sunset Maple Tree

Happy Valentine’s Day to all!  There wasn’t a huge celebration at our house.  The kids got some chocolate kisses and Hershey bars.  HandsomeHusband gave me a box of chocolate covered strawberries from Merb’s Candies in St. Louis, which are always appreciated by me.  I gave HH a book of 52 reasons why I love him that I made out of a deck of cards (I brazenly stole the idea from the Dollar Store Crafts site).  In other news, I took Oreo to the groomers today – she was especially stinky and now she is smelling better.  DramaQueen’s friend, Lola, is spending the night.  And it is snowing again…we are under a winter weather advisory with up to 5 inches of snow expected to accumulate.  I guess it is a good thing that the kids are already off tomorrow for President’s Day.

Makizushi (044/365)

  
Bart:  Akira, my good man, I'd like two sharks, an octopus and an eel.
Akira: Very good.
Bart:  Do you have any giant squid?  The kind that drags men to their deaths?
Akira: Not today.
  
-- At the Japanese restaurant, The Simpsons, One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish' (1991)
  
TIME:  6:10 PM
PLACE:  Nobu’s Japanese Restaurant
SUBJECT:  California, Spicy Tuna and Cucumber rolls

HandsomeHusband and I went out tonight sans children.  My nephew, Michael, G-d love him, came and sat for us.  We had originally planned to attend a Mardi Gras celebration with friends near the second oldest Catholic Parish in Illinois (The Holy Family Parish Log Church).  But our plans ended up changing – our friends were unable to join us  - so we decided to go out to dinner instead.  After a lovely dinner at our favorite sushi restaurant, we went to a nearby Barnes & Noble for coffee and some book browsing.  Finally, we headed to Target for some last minute Valentine shopping for the kids.  As we headed into Target, I told HH that the honeymoon is officially over as we are shopping at Target on a Saturday night.  He agreed.

Bolt (043/365)

 
“All the world is birthday cake, so take a piece, but not too much.”

George Harrison (Musician, producer and composer, member of The Beatles, 1943-2001)

TIME:  8:11 PM
PLACE:  My brother Michael’s kitchen
SUBJECT:  Bolt on birthday cake

StellaDella finally went back to school today.  She sucked it up because they were having the Valentine’s Day party this afternoon.  She made it through the day and had fun.  DramaQueen tried returning to school too, but I ended up leaving work at 10:30 this morning to bring her home.  They all have a 3-day weekend because of President’s Day on Monday…that should help with the recoveries.

We had SD’s and my niece Brandi’s family birthday party this evening at my brother’s house.  SD was happy with her Bolt decorated cake.  Instead of blowing out her candles, we had her use a plate to fan them out instead – we didn’t want to take the chance of any residual sickness landing on the cake.

Peaks And Valleys (042/365)

 
“Where there is plenty of light there is strong shadow.”

Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe (1749-1832), German poet, dramatist. Philine, in Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship, act I, Götz's castle (1771).

TIME:  11:25 AM
PLACE:  My office
SUBJECT:  Window blinds

What is that trying to shine through my window blinds?  Why it’s the sun, casting a shadow in my office.  I almost didn’t recognize it at first.  But I am ever so glad to see it.  I especially liked the way the light and shadow combined to make this distinct wavy pattern on the faux-canvas wall covering.

Birthday Cupcakes (041/365)

 
“Six! Six! I’m six! I’m six! I’m six years old today!
Yeaaaaaaah!
I’m six! I’m six! I’m six years old today!
I’m more than one.
I’m more than two.
I’m more than three.
I’m much more than four.
I’m even more than five.
Can you guess how old I am?”

”I’m Six Years Old Today”, Sesame Street

TIME:  5:05 PM
PLACE:  Kitchen
SUBJECT:  Cupcakes

StellaDella spent her 6th birthday at home sick today.  But, she had company – DramaQueen – who has a nasty upper-respiratory infection.  Good times, good times.  We are having the family party on Friday at my brother’s house, a combo party with my niece Brandi whose 18th birthday is tomorrow.  I hope everyone recovers by then.  SD requested a “Bolt” (from the animated movie) cake  from the grocery store for the party and that has been ordered.  Today, though, she and I made a chocolate batter (from scratch even, just call me Martha Stewart!) and she wanted to bake it as cupcakes and one single round layer, all with red frosting.  What the birthday girl asks for, she receives.  I arranged the cupcakes in the shape of a “6” – she thought that was pretty neat.  I fear that I will not be able to impress her much longer with little things like this – she’s growing up too fast.  Happy Birthday StellaDella!

Tweeters (040/365)

 
“You know you don't have to act with me, Steve. You don't have to say anything, and you don't have to do anything. Not a thing. Oh, maybe just whistle. You know how to whistle, don't you, Steve? You just put your lips together, and blow.”

Jules Furthman (1888-1960), U.S. screenwriter, William Faulkner (1897-1962), U.S. novelist, and Howard Hawks. Marie Browning (Lauren Bacall), in To Have And To Have Not (film), spoken to Harry Morgan (Humphrey Bogart) (1944).

TIME:  4:09 PM
PLACE:  Kitchen
SUBJECT:  Warbling bird whistles

I recently did some re-organization of my library card catalog cabinet.  While I was doing so, StellaDella found these bird whistles in one of the drawers.  I think I purchased them from the Botanical Garden gift shop last June.  You just fill them with water and blow.  It is amazing how much they sound like a real bird.  Even the cats stop and pay attention when they hear the warbling.

Acetaminophen (039/365)

 
“The desire to take medicine is perhaps the greatest feature which distinguishes man from animals.”

Sir William Osler (1849-1919), Canadian physician. Quoted in Harvey Cushing, Life of Sir William Osler, vol. 1, ch. 14 (1925).

TIME:  4:52 PM
PLACE:  Kitchen
SUBJECT:  Children’s medicine

DramaQueen and StellaDella stayed home from school today due to illness.  SD had a fever last night; DQ’s throat is sore and she has a cough and general achiness, but no fever.  SD keeps wanting me to phone the doctor, but she’s not sick enough to warrant a call.  Her fever and other aches can be controlled by the store-brand acetaminophen, thank goodness.  I’m hoping that in a day or so she and DQ will be over whatever they have.  Man, am I ready for winter and the sickness that it brings to be over.